Charles Dickens's Our Mutual Friend (Woman's Hour Drama)

By: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: Alex Jennings, Pauline Quirke

Charles Dickens' classic novel stars Alex Jennings as Charles Dickens and Pauline Quirke as Mrs Boffin. Adapted by Mike Walker. Following his father's death, John Harmon returns to London to claim his inheritance. But he finds he is only eligible if he marries Bella Wilfer. To observe her character he assumes another identity and secures work with his father's foreman, Mr Boffin, who is also Bella's guardian. Our Mutual Friend was Charles Dickens' last complete novel and is a satiric masterpiece about money. This complete Woman's Hour Drama, which contains all 20 episodes, was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2009.

Public Domain (P)2012 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Wonderful performances but unimaginative music.

I hate to be negative because the high quality of the acting was hurt by the utter poverty of the music. The low register of the clarinet is effective in inverse proportion to amount of its use. Here it became an utter caricature of itself. “Oh lord, here it is again.” Why not a cello or something else. Why not an interesting combination of sounds? What a shame.